St. Fabian construction is finally underway

Father Tommy Conway talks about construction underway at the site of the new St. Fabian Catholic Church.
Lici Beveridge/Hattiesburg American

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Father Tommy Conway stands by the groundwork for the new St. Fabian Catholic Church. Church leaders hope to be in the building by Christmas 2018.(Photo: Susan Broadbridge/Hattiesburg American)Buy Photo

If seeing is believing, St. Fabian Catholic Church parishioners can have no doubt now they are going to have a home of their own.

Construction has started nearly four years after retired Bishop Roger Morin placed the church and the responsibility of getting it built in the hands of Father Tommy Conway, the church's inaugural priest.

"We've been building up the church and all our ministries and getting people in place, at the same time making plans with our architects … and now the time has come to lay our foundation," Conway said.

Site preparation work began in early November. And the dirt is finally moving. The foundation for the first building soon will be set.

A new road will be built leading up to the church, and the church sit atop a hill so passersby on Mississippi 589 will be able to see it.

Conway said St. Fabian was required by the Biloxi diocese to have at least half the funds in hand before construction could begin.

Members amassed more than $2 million for the building fund, even before any formal fundraising began. The church last year began a capital campaign, asking members to commit to long-term support for the project.

Church volunteer Bill Holland said the site is being graded not just for current construction but also for future and potential projects, so it will only need to be done once then touched up as other areas are added.

Holland has been helping Hanco Construction with some of the site preparation.

"I'm overseeing the church side of things," he said. "It's a big project. We've got 25 acres. Doing all the grading now will make it easier for designing future features."

Two other buildings are planned, including the sanctuary. And there is list of potential projects including a soccer field and school. But getting the first building done is a priority right now, Holland said.

Other details needed to be squared away before construction could begin — the church and nearby Willow Pointe Baptist needed to iron out a few details concerning the road and other logistics, legal issues needed to be cleared up and a construction company was chosen.

"It's been a long ordeal and some parishioners got impatient, but we're getting commitment moving now," Holland said. "Now that it's finally going — it's a very visible site — people can drive up 589 and see it.

"It feels like finally we're making some headway."

Now that those hurdles are cleared, the church's first building is going up as quickly as time and weather allow.

"I am encouraged to see that site development for St. Fabian Church has begun in earnest," said Diocese of Biloxi Bishop Louis F. Kihneman. "This is just the beginning of a long process, but it's a very tangible sign of hope and encouragement for the people of St. Fabian Parish and their pastor, Father Tommy Conway, who have contributed a significant amount of time, effort and resources toward the construction of the new multipurpose building and, eventually, a new church.

"I know they are excited and I share their joy."

Conway estimates church membership at between 600 and 800 people. Soon after the parish was established, the church began holding Mass at Benedict Day School, just off Mississippi 589 in Sumrall.

"(St. Benedict) has been very, very gracious to us, but at the same time we realize the wear and tear on their building and their school, so we're anxious to get out of their way," Conway said in an earlier story.

Conway said the fellowship hall is planned for the first phase of construction so it can be used for many functions from weekly services to special events like weddings, funerals and baptisms.

The building also will have office and meeting spaces. Construction is expected to take about a year to complete.

Several years ago, the Diocese of Biloxi identified the need for a new Catholic church in Lamar County. A parcel of land was donated for the new church by Richard Fabian McCarthy.

The parish was named St. Fabian in honor of the McCarthy family, as well as in acknowledgment of the saint, who had led the church as pope and later died a martyr.

The facility was designed by Albert & Associates Architects of Hattiesburg. Clearpoint Consulting Engineers of Hattiesburg also was hired for the project. The first phase also will include parking, landscaping, drainage and other site development.

The church in its first year began with purchasing the items it needed for day-to-day operations — candlesticks for the altar, chalices, robes, tables, office supplies and more. The second year, the church phased in its ministries — outreach and ministering to the poor, youth education and programs, a church choir, etc. — and worked on filling leadership roles for those ministries.

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St. Fabian Catholic Church will be located just off Mississippi 589 and Valley Lane near Willow Pointe Baptist Church.